Metal-reducing process.



P. GORDON.

' METAL REDUCING PROCESS,

APPLICATION FILED $112125, 190a. RENEWED SEPT. 9, 1010.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

. To all whom it may concern:

7, the tap-hole in the hearth.

v fieations in such .Sil'ilCi'lWtSi iuent of iron ores and, second, in the volatile n'ietuls. ores of the vonti le metal UNITED sfri ig'rnnnr demon IiZETAL-REDUCI-ING rnoonss.

Application filed September 25, 1968, Serial No, 454,758. Renewed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patient-ed Nov,- i, 9

September t 1915. Serial no. 5.-1,15f%.

Be it known that l, Fnnnnnion W. Gonoox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia. rount g Pennsylvania, have invented eertnin new anduse ful Improvements in Metal-Reducing rmesses, or" which the following is a specitiozn tion. i This invention'pertains to improvements in processes for the reduction of the ores of volatile metals. and the improvements Will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the no companying drawing in whichr Figure 1 is a vertical diametriezil section of a furnace exemplifying apparatus adapt ed for the carrying out of my improved process: Fig. 2 horizontal section of the same: and Fig. 3 a vertical section of the cooler out on a line concentric with the axisof the furnace.

The improved prove s may, perhaps, best he described b) first rl rrihinp; the exemplifying apparatus.

In the drz wingz'l, indicates of the furnace: 2, the general to the furnac 3, the hopper the downoomer: (f the hot-hills All of the parts thu r referred or may he suhst: "ally a ong lip, 01Cil113l blast "ui'iniee eonstruitLon subject to any oi the neural 0r Silii'iil')i(? no:

At this point it may he proper to ("onsider he ordinary Opt/HUGH the rue.- i re isthus izir d :erihml. ti in the treatult of the operuiion when :appliwl to the ores'of regardless oi Wlwther the he at -d alone or he found in eonjnnetmn with the iron ores. r

Assume the "Fm-nave to he \vorlij'ng as usunl With blast furnnees and dealing only with irn ores; in such case the usual re-zietione take-place, the slag: and iron tapped from the hearth, and the gases; going to ti 1 downeomerno; that. insgezul dealing Wholly iron ore. the ore of some voliit nietnl, sai innine thit line 8 int rates, in :i' izenex" :1 noint in the nnee-eolnniii of h ieniperature e vaporize reduced ie ti 9 represents,

furriaeeooluinn of such low temperature as to bring about the condensation of more or less of the zinc vapor developed at or below line 8. Under these conditions We would havezinc reduced and'vaporized at line 8; We would have the nine vapor driven upiviirdl to cooler regions in the furnace; We would have all or a portion of the zinc vapor condensed atline 9; we would have this condensed zinc descending again to the va- 7 121g regions of the furnace; we would have this descended ,ziue again vaporized and sent aloft; and this process mightcontinue, the reduced zinc dancing vertically between the zones of vaporization and condensation; Not ail of the zinje vapor would he condensed for some of it might be blown throu il the charge and to the downcomer,

the u timete result in any event being that there ouid. be no recovery of zinc except such could possibly be recovered from gases blown out of the furnace. Thus no reference has been hadv to additional charges to the furnace, but it is obvious that if no metallic zine can pass below the level of vaporization no zine can here-covered from the furnace as thus for def; rihed, e; eeptsuch mi be blown through charge to the d ments in process and apparzi for \vitlulrnf ing more or l from the to one column at point bw len" 01 vaporization and the ecn densution, carrying their quota the zinc vapor. 1 r oover :1 pm

of the zinc l i n 5; eooier and provide i return to "'ie'furraoe the withdrawn gases iiionv with has not been such nine vapor as emdenseti, ti r. n i n entering upon upon the ulzirge and the. nnemnlenwd inc vapor oing fljffili'l to the f e iii 11 point above the level of vapor "tiorn iroceeding with ti o drewir '2 v dieote the two heat-levels heretofore r"- 10 an zlilimizil" .eooler c and F),

ioi ehamhers,

. 5 shown illustration, each e chambers heir; in turn, divided by 12 a. port I. np-standin and l .Di,

' the toot or the first upqmss the .st lip-pass which is the principal heating zone, this.

cooler chamber: 14, the final up-pass of a l the charge in the furnaceflaking gases'which cooler chamber? 1.), a. port placing the upper end of each final lip-pass of the cooler in cmnmunication wlth the interior of the furf mice: '10, a valve Controlling each of the, finally substantially all ofthe Zinc has been ports l5: l7, :1 zinc-tapl'iing hole=nt the foot of each final up-pass of the cooler: 18, a sight-hole in the wall of the cooler over each of the zinc-tapping holes: 19, illuminating, windows which it. is desirable to provide at the foot of each final-up-pass of the cooler to admit light at points opposite the sight holes: 20, the middle zone of the furnace,

zone extending between the levels of ports 11 and ports 15: and 21, the upper zone of the furnace, above the ports 15, which zone may be considered the preliminary heating zone for the raw material of the charge.

Assume the furnace to be working, charged with fuel, zinc ore and fiuxing material, and workin at high tem erature, say eighteen hundre deg. C, in t 1e hearth, and assume that ores, of iron or other non-volatile metal are present to some extent in the burden. So far as the ores ofthe non-volatile'metals are concerned the have-once passed through theeoolr they return to the furnace and again-to the cooler, and so on, becoming leaner and leaner at successive passages through thecircuit, until intercepted and tapped off. kssumegiow, a

working such as has been described, but with regular additional charges as usual-in fur nace practice. In such case the gases going to the cooler would never reach the condia-pparzitu's and its condition of working may be adjusted in such manner that the with-' drawals of zinc from the cooler correspond with practical precision with the quantity represented by the zine'in the new charges.

'of gases to the moler are controlled by regulating the flow of gases through the coo er.

the outlets from the cooler which may be. adjusted to determine what proportion of the total gases shall go through the cooler to havctheir heat dissipated. The greater the abstraction of gas to the cooler the more will be reduced and g'os thgtempgmture will be lowered at the ento the crucible an betappedlout with. orbetrane te e cooler, and the greater the ab:

the ports 11 and enter the cooler and use low the slag, as in ordinary blast furnace practice, and as regards the zinc ores, they would be reduced only as heretofore described, the valves 16 being closed and no gases going to the cooler. Assume, now, that valves 16 be opened to a greater or less extent. The ases coming from the lower zone of the urnace, and comprising zinc vapor, will rise throu h the charge in the middle zone, as hereto ore described. Much of the gas, seeking the path of least resist-g ance, will leave the furnace column through therein and fall again and rise again and return to the furnace through the ports 15, the zinc vapors passing throu h the cooler having had their temperatures owered. so as to bring about partial condensation of the vapor and the deposit of metallic zinc at the feet of the final up-passes ofthe cooler, to be withdrawn at the zinc tapping-holes 17. The gases leaving the cooler, including the uncondensed zinc vapor in them, return to the charge at the top of the middle zone and there mingle with the other gases in that zone, giving their heat to the charge and delivering their zinc vapor to the middle zone. The zinc vapor thus entering the middle zone becomes condensed to greater or less extent and works down to join with the zinc vapors forming in the lower zone. The gases then entering the cooler at ports 11 are the gases regularly formed in the lower zone of the furnace, except as modified by the descent among them of condensed zinc from the zinc vapor discharged into the furnace from the cooler. Therefore, assuming no additions to .stractiomt ie more this temperature will be increased. y

Itis to be understood that the upper zone 21 of the furnace is merely a convenlent preliminary heating chamber to hold. the supply of charge and to utilize the heat of the gases passing upward from the midle zpne and from the cooler. So far as the prihciple. of action of the apparatus is concerned, inits utilization of the gases discharged from the cooler,the supply of charge might be carried elsewhere. as in a bin, and be arranged to receive the gases coming from the cooler.

While the general construction and p'rinciple of operation has been above described it may not be out of place to here set forth more. in detail the reactions taking place. in

t-hcexccutio'n of the process.

perature, and fed with hot blast injudicious quantities, assures the formation of CO to the exclusion of C(). the gasesri'sing from the hearth being CO+N+ some H from the moisture of the blast. The lower zone\' is and reduction and vaporization of zinc. The temperature in the lower Zone is sullicient to form and fuse ordinary blast furnace slag, and to reduce and fuse iron ore or other nietallic ores non-volatile at its temperature.

the the ZnS of any combination being When the furnace with its cooler is regution of attenuation just spoken of, and the The 'temperature at point of withdrawal This is effected by means of the. valves its}.

The lower zonewith its high heart-h temthe region of carbon gasifica-tion by the blast,

vapor direct from reduced oreis further atiron will assist in taking up sulfur if the lune is deficien These react1on-.-'. for the most part, requirehigh temperatures; these temperatures areinet with successively during the descent'tothe hearth, so that practically any ore may be split up and its eonstituents other than the vaporized metal acted on by the gases or the tlux, giving zinc or other metallic vapor free from impurities.

The high hearth temperature is only limited' by the blast temperature, eoonomy of operation and durability of lining. Viewed in the light of blast, furnace practice. any required slag, even those with large lime and alumina proportions, may be: fused and tapped a liquid. Upon the deoxidation of ZnO, or liberation of zinc from any of its compounds, it will be vaporized and diffused among the gases. portion of this mixture is caused to'entervthe cooler at a temperature approximating that of vapor ization under the pressure Within the furnzgce, assumed at 17 lbs. absolute or 2. lbs. gage per square inch, and leave the eoolerat a temperature about that of the solidification of zine. avoiding t'unie formation in the cooler. It the density of the zinc vapor reaches its saturation point in the last up eurrent in the coole zine globules \vill col lect at 17; it not, this vapor being constantlyt'ormed will through opening 15 anal. thence through the cool charge in the upper zone,hein; solidified or oxidized. The slowness of the current, fineness oi the charge and considerable height of the column of charge will all tend to intercept the s lid. zineror zinc oxid; and carry it (l()\\l1fl-fil'(l1 meanwhile, the balance of the mixture will rise up the middle Zone, some of its vapor will condense. drop into a hotter region, re vaporize. rise again with the gas and, dividintwith the gas a part of will enter the. cooler: the vapor thus entering the cooler, being denser by this addition, will pass throi'wli the cooler, entering the turnare at 3 less il.:'; condensed in the cooler and ooiloct at 1?. Whilethe other portion of gas with this dei'lser "vapor will attempt-an ascent of? the middle zone. Part .of the 'apor first rising through this shall have been solidified. caughtgin the eharge and be. coming "at-l; lobe reinelted and reraporiaed to join the vapor from eondensed vapor and the tempts to ascend among the charge and to pass through the cooler. Thus the vapor, gradually made denser, is further supplied by the 21:10 c night in and returned from the in the cooler: as all this vapor, new or from zinc returned, is vaporized in and diffused in the lower zone, it rises. with the generated in the hearth and acquires a density that Will condense to liquid. The part of the gas carrying its propoltioi'i' of vapor passing through the coolerineets conditions for condensation and the collection of liquid 2inc, and this is being constantly Withdrawn throughout the chambers. W hen this con I dition sets up in the cooler rm condition is urthe supply from the ore.

If the charge of ore and flux to a unit weight of fuel of known quality were arrived at to meet all heat requirements of the initial operation. such as reduction, volatilization or fusion of zinc, slag formation and fusing, sensible heat in the Waste gases. ra" diation from the furnace twyer Water, (le composition of the moisture ofthe blast; and radiation from the cooler, wherein. a definite weight of gas l-- zinc vapor is cooled per meats 013112 11191, the sum of them will refuel and no extra gas be generated. As the process develops zinc vapor accumulates or condenses, forrthe 'revaporation of con-- (tensed zinc, reduction of zinc. oxicl in the furnace or remelting frozen zinc entails no loss over that already gained by the Conden sation of hitherto vaporized zinc, oxidation of hitherto reduced zinc and freezing of liquid zinc, provided the of heat is so located that it can be appropriated to advantage. Now, all these heat developments take place well up in the charge; as deveh oped this heat is given to the charge. and by the-charge is carried down to zones of heat utilization; then with zinc vapor accumulating, while Weight and volume of gas remain constant, the condition of saturation must be reached and. it condensation does not set in, be surpassed, and condensation enforced, whatever may be the etl'ect of other gases present in retarding condensation.

I claim:-

1'. That improvement in the artv 0t reducing the ores of volatile metals and recovering; the metal therefrom which romprises the 'follou'ii'ig' steps, viz:-estahlishing and maintaining a columnar furnace -chargo comprising conuningled ore and fuel; establishing and maintaining therethrmighan upward current represented by air injected at the base of the column and by gases disohargetl'at the top of the column; establish ing and maintainingz within the column two upper zone, which has escaped condensation from the aggregation of vapor diffused rived at of continued condensation equal to minute of time, thena-ll the heatrequire,

main constant and no extra heat, no extra' and gusiiication and metal vaporization, and an upper one of metal-vapor condensation; withdrawing from between said zones some of the furnace gases with their quota of metal-vapor; condensing a portion of the n'ietal-vapor containcdqin said withdrawn gases; and recovering the metal resulting from said coinjlcnsation, substantially as set forth. c

' 3. That ii'np rovement in the art of rcduc ing the ores of volatile metals and recovering the metal therefrom which comprises the following steps vin -establishing and maintaining a columnar furnace-charge comprising commingled ore and fuel; establishing and maintaining therethrough an upward current represented by air injected at the base of the column. and by gases discharged at the top of the column; establishing and maintaining within the column two successive zones, a lower one of'reduction and gasification and metal--vaporization, and an upper one of metal-vapor condensation; withdrawing from between said zones some ofthc furnace gases'with' their quota of metal-wiper; condensing a portion of the metal-vapor contained in said Withdrawn i gases; recovering the metal i'esultin from said condensation; and utilizing said Withdrawn gases for preheating the charge, sub: stantially as set forth. 7

'3. l. hat improvement in the art of reducing the ores of volatile metals and recovering the metal therefrom which comprises the following steps, viz :establishing and maintaining a columnar furnacecharge comprismg commmglcd ore and tuel; establishing and maintaining therethrough an upward current represented by air injected at the base of the column'and by gases discharged at the top of the column; establishing and maintain 1g within the column two succes sire zones a lower one of reduction andgasilieu-lion and metalvaporization, andan up per one of metal-wiper condensation; withdrawing from between said zones some of the furnace gases with their quota ofm'etalvapor; condensing a portion of thc metal- 'vapor (mntained-in said Withdrawn recovering the metal resulting from said condeus "on; conveying the uncondensed withnun metal. vapor back to the zone of metal-vapor condensation in the column; and utilizing said withdrawn gases for preheating the charge, substantially as set forth.

4. That in'iprovcment in the art of reduc-,

ing the ores of volatile metals and recovering the metal therefrom which comprises the fol lowing steps, vi? z establishing and maintaining a columnar furnacecharge comprising comminglcd ore and fuel; estaloha-hing and maintaining "therelhrough an upward current reorescnted by :air injected at the base of tin column and by gases discharged at the top of thc'- column establishing and vapor contained in said withdrawn gases;- recovering the metal resulting from said condensation; conveying the uncondensed metal-vapor to the said zone of metal-vapor j condensation; utilizin saidwithdraw'n gases for preheating the c arge; and conveying the unwithdrawn gases with their quota of metal-vapor to the zone of metal-vapor condensation; substantially as set forth.

5. That improvement in the art of reducing the ores of volatile metals and recovering the metal therefrom whiclicomprises the following steps, viz :-establishing and maintaining a columnar furnace-charge com rislng commlngled ore and fuel;.establ1s 1n and maintaining therethrough an upwar current represented by air injected at'thebase of the column and by gases discharged at the topof the column; establishing and maintaining within the column two succes sive zones, a lower one of reduction and gasification and metal vaporizatlon, and an n?- per one of metal-vapor condensation; wit

drawing from between said zones some of the'furnace gases with their quota'of metalvapor; condensing a portion'ofthe metalvapor contained in said withdrawn gases; recovering the metal resulting from said condensation; conveying the remainin withdrawn metal-vapor to said zone of meta-lvapor condensation; utilizing said with-' drawn gases for preheating the charge; conveying the unwithdrawn gases with their quota of metal-vapor to the zone of metal vapor condensation; and returning to the zone. of metal-vaporization the metal condensed in the zoneof metal-vapor condensation from the withdrawn and unwit-hdrawn metal-vapor conveyed to it, substantially as base of the column and by gases discharged at the top of the column; establishing and maintaining within the column two successive' 'ZO11c S, a lower one of reduction and gast fication and metal-vaporization, and an upper one of metal-vapor condensation; withdrawing from between said zones some oi the furnace gases with'theirqnota of metalvapor; condensing a portion of the metalvapor contained msaid withdrawn gases;

recovering the metal resulting from saidreondensationz conveying the remanun with- .drawn metal-vapor to said zone ot metalvapor condensation; utilizing said withdrawn uses for rcheat'in r the char e conveying the"unw1thtlrawn gases with their Following steps, viz :-estal')lishing and niaiutaining a columnar furnace-charge comprising commingled ore and fuel; establishing and maintaining therethrough an upward current represented by air injected at the base of the column and by gases discharged at the top of the column; establishing and main-' taming .within the column two successive zones, a lower one of reduction and gasification and metal-vaporization, and an upper one of metal-vapor condensation; withdrawing from between said zones some of the furnace gases with their quota of metal-vapor; condensing a ing themetal resulting from said condensation; conveying the remaining withdrawn metal-vapor to said zoneof metal-vapor condensation; utilizing said withdrawn gases for preheating the charge; conveying the unwithdrawn gases with their quota of metal-vapor to the zone of nietal-yap'or, conrtion of the inctal-vapor' contained in said w thdrawn gases; recoverdensation; returning to the zone of metalvaporization the metal condensed in the zone of metal-Vapor condensation from the Withdrawn and unwithdrawn metal-vapor conveyed to it; enriching the withdrawn gases from the zone of metal-vapor condensation; and continuin I thus to cnrlch the withdrawing until the quantity of metal being recovered per unit of stock charged is a proximately equal to the quantity of volati e metal contained in a unit of stock charged, substantially as set forth.

8. That'improvement in the art of reducing the ores of volatile metals and recovering the metal therefrom which comprises the 5 taining a columnar furnace-charge com ris- 5 ing colnnnngled ore and fuel; establis1m and maintaining therethrough an upwart base of the column and by gases discharged at theftopof the column; establishing and maintain ngwithin the column two successive zones, a lower one of reduction and gasification and metal-vaporization, and an upper one of metal-vapor condensation;

of the furnace gases with their quota of metal-vapor; re ul atin the temperature at the point of sue with rawal by modifying the quantity of the withdrawn gases; condensmg a portion of the metal-vapor contained in said withdrawn ases; and recovering the metal resulting rom said condensat on, substantially as set forth.

FREDERICK W. GORDON;

Witnesses GEO. Mnexa,

current represented by air Injected at the by adding thereto the metal-vapor returned following steps, viz :establishing and malnwithdrawing from between said zones some 

